How are you today?

[blue]

Fantastic news about the wedding, Paul! I hope you both have an amazing day and a wonderful honeymoon in New York. How exciting!

It seems odd saying I hope you get fired, but you know what I mean. Often these things are an opportunity to completely change your career. Becoming a primary school teacher is a meaningful occupation, getting the chance to nurture young minds .... lovely. Oh, and if you have any trouble getting a job once you're qualified, come and live in the UK! We're crying out for male primary school teachers here.

[paul-pgss]

It was indeed exciting in New York. And the wedding was just everything I could wish for.... I'm really happy that my boyfriend is now my husband. Although I will not call him my husband because it sounds so... ugh.

[RobB]

But are you his husband? Hang on, this could get confusing? Glad the big day went well and you enjoyed the big apple.

[blue]

Glad it all went well Paul. How does it feel to be an old married man?

Gosh, it's absolutely freezing here today. So cold I saw a blackbird's breath! No really! He was standing on the roof of the shed in my daughter's garden for about five minutes, and I could quite clearly see his breath in the air.

[RobB]

Gosh, it's absolutely freezing here today. So cold I saw a blackbird's breath! No really! He was standing on the roof of the shed in my daughter's garden for about five minutes, and I could quite clearly see his breath in the air.

Did you consider that he may have just had a cup of hot chocolate?

Its certainly feeling cold here too. So cold in fact that I saw a dog stuck to a lamp-post this morning.

[sound world]

Quite mild here. I was oop North over the weekend and it was bastard freezing up there. Got back home to find my neighbours' house has had a major flood (she's in NZ till the 29th) which I'm doing my best to clear up in her absence-bit difficult to know what to do when she's half the world away. She's got about 50 towels, they're all soaked and she doesn't have a washing line...so I've rigged something up. Carpets drenched. Sod's Law, when you're away...

[RobB]

Just as well you had a key and we're checking on the property....it could have been so much worse had the flood damage continured for another week and a half?

You might consider renting out an industrial dehumidifier for your neighbour or buying a smaller domestic version? Your neighbour would be able to claim back any costs with her household insurance policy.

[sound world]

Funnily enough that's what my plumber has just suggested.
You could start a new career, RobB. 'Why call a plumber when you could get advice from friendly RobB?'.
I'll wait to see what instructions my neighbour emails me from NZ...

The wierd thing is that the VERY SAME thing happened about twelve years ago when we first moved here. She went away (luckily not far away) and I noticed water spurting from an overflow pipe on her wall. It was exactly the same problem-a valve releasing water because of too much pressure. I cleaned it all up for her then!!

[RobB]

You could start a new career, RobB. 'Why call a plumber when you could get advice from friendly RobB?'.

Thats a swell idea.....and I'm glad to see that you didn't insert the word 'free' between 'get' & 'advice'.

The wierd thing is that the VERY SAME thing happened about twelve years ago when we first moved here.

I wonder if she'll remember that too? Sounds like you'd better make a note not to go on away on holiday in 12 years time when your neighbour is away!!

[Angie]

I just had a very satisfying Chai latte, and now I'd really like to take a nap.

And how are YOU today?

[RobB]

.
.
Since you've asked Ang,..........knackered.

Been busy at my charity shop today and we had a big house clearance donation which meant I had to go up and down those stairs what felt like thirty times.....probably wasn't far off actually.

[paul-pgss]

And how are you Angie?

I'm preparing for a holiday of two weeks to Turkey. My annual readingholiday it is. Bought around twenty e-books that will probably all have been read by the end of april.

[Angie]

Nice, Paul! Turkey, how exotic! I love my e-reader. I love physical books, too, but I do read a lot more since we got one.

Poor Rob, is a man of your age supposed to get that much exercise?? [akiss] I hope you've recovered in the past week. It reminds me of last weekend when my husband helped some friends move, and I was kind of happy I had to go to my office to get some work done...

As for me, nothing exciting to report - I'm a little tired today! My youngest son still has the wackiest sleep habits and it makes for some long days at work. I'm still going to keep him though.

[RobB]

Poor Rob, is a man of your age supposed to get that much exercise?? [akiss] I hope you've recovered in the past week.

A man of my age isn't supposed to get out of his rocking chair unaided......but I can just about manage.

Yep, i've fully recoverd from last weeks exercise. Now its the turn of my wallet to recover. Today i've paid out £59 on petrol, £7 on a car wash.....and £150 for the cars MOT and annual service. Who'd be a car owner today? [censor]

[sound world]

As someone who has never driven, I can only sympathise. I do think the car industry has drivers well and truly held by the scrotum.

Last year my total expenses on my pushbike were £169.00, and that's mostly because some [censor] vandalised it when it was locked up, bending the frame and both wheels out of shape. Any other year it would have been average £20 or so.
Mind you, I spent about £500 getting around on trains/buses/taxis last year. But I bet that's still loads less than the average car driver spends in a year.